Thank You, Gov. O'Malley

[Koinos]

1. O'Malley seems taller than ever to me at this point.

Standing aside from the fray, I am watching parallel train wrecks in two primaries where opponents are tearing each other to pieces. I do not know how it will end, but I think it will end badly.

Then I turn away from the scene; and, in a brief moment of silence and peace, I picture O'Malley reading Thomas Merton in the morning and playing Irish music in the evening.

I remember when he said that politics, like playing in a band, requires unity of many different instruments and voices.

Democracy, like music, requires a beautiful working harmony of many different points of view. People disagree, but they have the wisdom to join together in working for the common good. They envision something bigger than their own personal wants and needs.

O'Malley has suspended his campaign. He is no longer in the room. But he is still the adult, although outside the room.

He would have brought this country together and inspired it with his optimism. Instead, we are stuck with anger, hatred, and division.

As O'Malley himself often said, you can't build a great country on anger and hatred.

I miss him. If America knew better, it would miss him too. If there is anything left of our country in four years and if O'Malley is willing and ready, we may all be willing to give him a second look.

I will certainly and without hesitation vote for whoever emerges as the 2016 Democratic nominee, but I will steady myself in hard times by imagining that guy standing on tables and chairs.